The rapidly-growing e-waste recycling industry eagerly waiting for the release of the new iPhone 5, as smartphone users around the world are ready to ditch their old phones and embrace the new. E-waste recyclers are at the ready to accept their offerings. But will all the hype of the potential market truly be a turning point for the industry – or simply another marketing tool to make consumers aware that their electronic devices are indeed recyclable?
Many e-waste companies were not quiet about their anticipation of the new iPhone.
"There are going to be millions of people buying the new iPhone 5,” said ecoATM chairman and CEO Tom Tullie in a press release. “When they do, we want there to be an ecoATM nearby for them to cash in or recycle their old phones.”
Tuile's San Diego-based company recently expanded installation of its cell phone buy-back kiosks in malls across the country. The company’s automatic, self-service kiosks evaluate and purchase old and broken phones and are reportedly able to refurbish 75 percent of the devices it collects.
The U.S. Postal Service is working with the e-waste group MaxBack on a marketing program to buy back smart phones. And metals giant Green Technology Solutions (GTSO) has also been gearing up for the change. Its mining subsidiary plans to purchase the U.S. e-waste recycler GlobalCellBuyers. GTSO has also entered into negotiations with another e-waste recycling firm in Latin America.
Nearly 2.5 million tons of electronics were discarded just in the U.S. in 2010, creating “an incredible windfall of lithium, gold, neodymium, rare earths and other valuable materials headed for the dump,” said GTSO CEO Paul Watson. “Soon, we plan to send it to the bank, instead.”
Smart phone recycling image by Pavel Ignatov via Shutterstock.
Next page: Do iPhones end up as e-waste?
Plugz Recycling is an service
Plugz Recycling is an service that provides the proper disposal of old, broken or unwanted electronics in effort to prevent electronics containing hazardous chemicals from accumulating in landfills
Items Accepted
Computers – monitors- televisions- cell phones- hair dryers
Fans-laptops- cables & wires- microwaves- vcrs- radios
“anything that plugs in or takes a battery”
Plugz Recycling is an service
Plugz Recycling is an service that provides the proper disposal of old, broken or unwanted electronics in effort to prevent electronics containing hazardous chemicals from accumulating in landfills
Items Accepted
Computers – monitors- televisions- cell phones- hair dryers
Fans-laptops- cables & wires- microwaves- vcrs- radios
“anything that plugs in or takes a battery”
When operated safely and
When operated safely and responsibly, the electronics recycling industry has great potential to create clean, safe jobs that reduce pollution and conserve resources. The challenge is to find recycling facilities that are committed to the proper handling and disposal of materials. (see
http://www.everblue.edu/blog/what-everyone-should-know-about-e-waste) Ideally recyclers that are handling the products downstream should be e-Steward certified,to ensure materials are handled safely and disposed of properly, not dumped in landfills or shipped to developing countries.
How do I know if ecoATM will
How do I know if ecoATM will recycle my cellphone responsibly? It uses R2-certified recyclers, and they are NOT prohibited from sending e-waste to developing countries for dumping.
After upgrading your old cell
After upgrading your old cell phones you need to recycle it,do you know that 10 percent of these phones are eventually recycled.that's lot of e-waste that could be headed for our landfills. So,save the environment by taking the responsibility of dispose your old phone first.also you can recycle your old iphone 4 case and replace it with new iphone 5 case which you can find it in any online gadget accessories shop that sells Iphone 5 cases .
There is no doubt that Apple
There is no doubt that Apple iphone 5 is a new era for e-waste recycling because the rapidly-growing e-waste recycling industry eagerly waiting for the release of the new iPhone 5, as Smartphone users around the world are ready to ditch their old phones and embrace the new. E-waste recyclers are at the ready to accept their offerings.Definately we should take a sensible step for that. I think we should support PALS because PALS is working for Waste management recycling and PALS is a group of environmentally conscious people who love pure air want to live in a cleaner.
Great article! E-waste is
Great article! E-waste is such a serious problem and most people are not even aware of it! Not only old iPhones and iFamily devices will end up in the trash, but think of all those iPhone covers! They are typically plastic or rubber and they won't fit the new iPhone5. It's great that the iPhone5 will resurge the iPhone accessory industry, but unfortunately it will also send millions of covers to the landfill. Check out http://www.wehatetowaste.com/?p=1607 for ways to creatively repurpose that old cover.